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Ilioinguinal Nerve Pain, Post Hernia Surgery Pain

A hernia refers to a situation where any internal body part bulges and pushes through the muscles or tissue surrounding it. This only happens if there are weak spots to the muscle or tissue around the organ which are supposed to keep it in the proper position.

Among the most common hernias is inguinal hernia, which occurs when fatty tissue from part of your bowel like the intestines pushes through into your groin at the top part of the inner thigh. It will appear as a swelling or lump in your groin leading to an enlarged scrotum. If inguinal hernia is quite painful or poses the risk of serious complications, a surgery may be performed to push the bulge back into place and subsequently strengthen the weakness with a kind of mesh.

The hernia surgery is quite routinely, sometimes not even requiring an open surgery, and the patient might be discharged on the same day. Recovery from the surgery, on the other hand, might take a few weeks, about 6 weeks, after which regular activities can be resumed. However, in some cases, there might be complications that lead to post hernia surgery pain.

What causes post hernia surgery pain?

The hernia surgery involves either an open surgery or making several incisions and using various instruments to push the hernia back. In the process, the ilioinguinal nerve may be damaged or entrapped, causing ilioinguinal nerve pain. This pain is felt around the medial groin, scrotum, inner thigh or the labia majora, but it can also radiate to the lower abdomen.

The pain is usually exacerbated by extending the hip, for example during walking, causing the affected individual to experience difficulty walking. Pressure applied to the affected area can also send pain radiating across the nerve. In some patients, there may also be some hyperesthesia or hypoesthesia, which makes the area sensitive to warm or cool liquids.

According to research carried out and studies of post hernia repair surgeries, post hernia surgery pain occurs around 1% – 19% of the time. It is important to note, however, that this rather high number was reported within the first year of the hernia repair surgery, but the number dropped significantly thereafter.

Managing ilioinguinal nerve pain

If the pain keeps persisting for months and still remains severe, action needs to be taken to enable the person resume regular activities. Some of the pain management solutions may involve:

Non-surgical procedures – Before cutting into the patient just yet, or if the pain isn’t as severe or debilitating, various interventions can be pursued. Use of nerve blocks, anti-inflammatories and neuromodulators may be prescribed that may be taken orally or by pain relief injection into the area. These conservative measures are usually sufficient to reduce the pain, but more serious pain may require other solutions.

Triple neurectomy – This involves the removal of an entire nerve to reduce the pain felt and has been very effective. A further mesh removal may also be performed, but this is a difficult procedure that should only be performed by the most specialized surgeons such as Pain Physicians of Brooklyn and NYC.

The most advanced pain management center, Brooklyn pain management doctors and specialists at Pain Physicians NY offer unique, individualized approach to manage your Ilioinguinal nerve pain. We are using the most effective pain management and treatment options utilizing the latest technologies available in USA.